Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



Day 9: Fairway Woods + Distance Putting

March 22, 2017

CRUSH YOUR FAIRWAY WOODS
Tired of hitting ground balls on long approach shots? First, put away that 3-wood and try a fairway wood with more loft. Play the ball a couple inches inside your front heel, then keep your left arm extended as you swing back. Starting down, shift toward the target and hit down, even taking a little divot after the ball—just like an iron shot. —Renee Trudeau O'Higgins, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher

ELIMINATE THREE-PUTTS
Most three-putts come from not getting your first putt close enough to the hole for an easy second. Long putts require longer strokes, but the key is to keep the motion equal lengths back and through—smooth and even-paced. Once you learn to measure out your stroke for the distance needed, you start to develop great putting feel. —Renee Trudeau O'Higgins


BONUS TIP
HANK HANEY: HITTING GREENS FROM THE ROUGH
Haney says the trick to hitting an approach shot out of thick grass is making a steeper swing into the ball. Think of it as playing a cut shot. Set up a little open, take the club up and outside going back, then come down sharply into the ball.